First thoughts: Owning the results

Posted: Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:14 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Owning the results: By yesterday offering up two top White House aides -- David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs -- to talk about Tuesday’s elections, the White House decided to own the results. And the move seemed to send two signals: 1) they believe the outcomes weren’t as disastrous as some in the chattering class were making them out to be, and 2) they don't want to look as if they are thick-headed and don't see the obvious -- that their party didn't do well in a VERY important swing state, Virginia.

*** Nationalizing 2010: In Axelrod’s interview with one of us, he talked about the Democrats’ turnout problem on Tuesday, and he claimed that if they nationalize 2010, they won't have that problem. Translation: The White House is going to take a page from the 2002 White House playbook, which is to nationalize the midterms and try and do it on your terms. The downside of trying to AVOID nationalizing 2010 is what happened in Virginia -- the base doesn't show up, etc. So if the White House wants to minimize losses in 2010, then it has to get as many of their 2008 voters to the polls. And that means the president has to be front and center. Axelrod made that crystal clear in his interview.

*** Tea’d off: Two days after their victories in New Jersey and Virginia (where their candidates played down their conservatism and didn’t run directly against President Obama) and their loss in NY-23 (where a conservative-vs.-moderate split led to their defeat), Republicans today are welcoming conservative Tea Party activists to Capitol Hill to protest the Democrats’ health-care legislation. Organizer Rep. Michele Bachmann (R), per NBC’s Luke Russert, has called the event “The Super Bowl of Freedom.” In fact, today’s conservative gathering epitomizes this challenge for Republicans: How do you tap into a fired-up conservative base (which obviously benefited them in NJ and VA) but make sure that base doesn’t begin eating its own (which happened in NY-23). By the way, there have been a couple of interesting developments in the wake of NY-23: 1) NRSC Chair John Cornyn saying that his committee would not be spending any money where there are contested GOP primaries, which seems as a response to its earlier endorsement of Charlie Crist in Florida, and 2) Senate candidate Mark Kirk seeking Palin’s endorsement to help him survive the primary challenge he’s receiving from the right in Illinois.

*** Does Kirk really want Palin by his side in Illinois? By the way, Kirk’s move is fascinating. One Republican said to us that it seemed ham-handed. Added this Republican: What if Kirk gets the endorsement? Does he want her as a running mate in Illinois? Does he want to nationalize his race in this blue home state of the president? Maybe, the decision was, "If you ask her for the endorsement, she'll at least STAY OUT of the primary.” But it's awfully high risk for the general. Don’t forget -- Kirk's primary is the next one on the political calendar of any consequence.

*** Don’t lose focus on the Dem primaries: While we’ve focused on the upcoming 2010 GOP primaries in the wake of what happened in NY-23, Republicans have reminded us that Democrats face some pretty contentious primaries next year, too. In Colorado, incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet is receiving a challenge from Andrew Romanoff; in Pennsylvania, there’s the Specter-vs.-Sestak showdown; in Kentucky, Jack Conway is battling Dan Mongiardo; and in Ohio, the DSCC has appeared to take sides in the Fisher-vs.-Brunner contest. But the big difference to us -- so far -- is that the Democratic primaries don’t seem to be the rallying cry for liberals the same way that the Republican primaries have become for conservatives. After all, we haven’t seen Joe Sestak on the cover of The Nation the same way that National Review had Marco Rubio on its cover.

*** The great American health-care fight: In addition to today’s conservative protests on Capitol Hill, AARP is set to endorse the House Democratic health-care bill… The House is slated to vote on that bill this coming Saturday… And liberal-leaning Americans United for Change says it’s airing a new TV ad ($17,000 buy on DC-area cable) criticizing the House GOP health plan.

*** Get it done -- now: In a way, you can see the House decision to vote on health care this Saturday as a direct response to the elections. Bottom line: Don't give wavering lawmakers more time over the weekend to think about the election results or listen to punditry; just get their vote done. Also, the quick health-care vote is an attempt to put some pressure on the Senate. The fact is this: If health care slips into 2010, it could die… One other point: The last thing the White House needed was Nancy Pelosi to say "we won" like she did yesterday. One could make an argument that the House Democrats DID have a good Tuesday night. And, strategically, the DCCC looks like a smooth operation (like the NRCC did circa 2000-2004). But, tonally, was it helpful to her party to verbalize what she believed as far as this fact is concerned? It gave the cablers and the intertubes something to rally around and debate in a superficial way that only puts the speaker in a more negative light.

*** Obama’s day: President Obama delivers opening remarks (at 9:30 am ET) and then closing remarks (at 4:50 pm) at a White House-sponsored Tribal Nations Conference that takes place at the Interior Department. Per the White House, this conference “will provide leaders from the 564 federally recognized tribes the opportunity to interact directly with the president and representatives from the highest levels of his administration. Each federally recognized tribe has been invited to send one representative to the conference.” Also on his calendar today, Obama meets with President Ian Khama of Botswana (pool spray), Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner (closed press), Vice President Biden (closed press), and Secretary of State Clinton (closed press).

*** Also today: First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Department of Energy before leading a practice session for students participating in the Science Bowl at 2:00 pm ET… Vice President Biden hosts a panel on challenges facing the middle class at 10:30 am… On Capitol Hill, Democrats Bill Owens and John Garamendi, winners of special elections in NY-23 and CA-10, respectively, are sworn in… And Secretary of State Clinton meets with Germany's foreign minister (at 1:15 pm), then with the families of the missing hikers in Iran (3:00 pm), and then with National Security Council principals at the White House (5:00 pm). Speaking of Clinton, she’s the cover of the latest issue of Time magazine.

Countdown to MA Special Primary: 33 days
Countdown to MA Special Election: 75 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 362 days

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Comments

First Read: David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs -- to talk about Tuesday’s elections, the White House decided to own the results.

Just like Obama "Owns the economy" He said so, remember? So why does he still continue to blame Bush?

Disappointed Dem (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:21 AM)

Leftovers & Out Takes:

Who spiked Morning Jokes coffee this morning? I couldn’t believe my ears when the clown said he embraces ‘gridlock’ in Washington out of one side of his mouth and in the next breath was on the I’m a PROUD American bandwagon!

Have things gotten so bad in this country that the righties aren’t even TRYING to mask their schizophrenia?

Country first my ass! It’s all about ME FIRST and screw the rest of you with these neocons!
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Just when you thought Faux & Freaks couldn't get any 'scummier'...

They just got busted for falsely claiming President Obama watched the HBO documentary last night instead of the election returns...

Now if that doesn't PROVE what a lying sack of crap those freaks are... you're HOPELESS!

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/11/04/obama-watched-documentary-last-night-nope-fox-botched-this-one/
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To my sheer amazement… I’ve searched and searched and have yet to find a RETRACTION from Faux Entertainment on this! lol lol lol I’ve NEVER witnessed a so called news organization LIE with such impunity!

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I didn't know that nasty, vile, vulgar qualified as "smart liberal women".
lily (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 5:42 PM)
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And it's my fault HOW that liberal woman aren't Stepford Wives??

Thanks for the compliment and NOT including us in that category! lol lol lol
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Feisty, go get you some Rachel M. and Keith O. tonight so you can make your little world all better now. lol, lol, lol
Kathy, Charlotte (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:24 PM)
____________

Welcome back… see you found your way out of the archives… lol lol lol

And girl… do try to keep up now will ya? As much as I love Rachel & Keith… Larry O’s my guy! ;0)

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:21 AM)

The Democrats spend $800 billion to create jobs, and now it's looking like that's been a total failure. So to make up for it, they Democrats are going to spend $1.2 trillion to "fix" health care.

So the question needs to be asked - do you trust the Democrats? The answer is, most of America doesn't.

TruthTeller09 (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:21 AM)

The Pelosi Phenomenon:

Yesterday on FR the topic was: “Pelosi: ‘We Won’” followed by 75 comments. I couldn’t believe the negativity so I did a little research on the first 50 comments. Five comments were positive (which included Feisty, mine, and three others). That’s 10% positive. In the other 90% Nancy was called “crazy” 3 times, “nuts” 3 times, “stupid” four times, “delusional” twice, belonging in a mental hospital, living on moronville, a drooling idiot, and that is just a partial list of derogatory names.

I began to wonder, what is it with the person who is third in succession to be POTUS that creates such vitriol? Fellow Hoosier, Ed Crane, from Elkhart, Indiana copied and pasted my comments and added his own.

Nancy is one tough lady. Republicans don't like her because she is so tough...and she is right...one vote closer to the HCR.

Ron Indiana (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 2:39 PM)

Ed’s comments:

1. Republicans don't like her because she is well, stupid?

2. Obama is too full of himself and his ego to make any changes particularly if it will effect him politically.
Ed Crane, Middlebury, IN (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 3:05 PM)

I’ve read most of Ed’s comments on FR and this is a typical example. Thus far I have yet to find one comment that demonstrates, wisdom, insight, or creative thought…yet he calls Nancy stupid. Ms Pelosi did not become ‘Speaker of the House’ by being stupid or crazy, so what is it that scares conservatives? Is it Republicans gone wild? Is it conservatives do not like her power so they try to marginalize her by name calling? It is because she is one tough lady and conservatives prefer less powerful women…like silly Sarah? I don’t know, but you have to be blind not to see the fear.

Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:22 AM)

Memo to liberal Dems: The jig is up. It isn't "Change You Can Believe In." It's "A Con You Will Regret."

Alex Perez, Texas (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:22 AM)

Champions of the World

1975 World Series Red Sox vs. Cincinnati Reds, 6th game. Fenway Park. Boston down in the series 3-2. Bottom of the eighth, two on, two outs, down by 3. Up to the plate – Bernie Carbo. And bang – 3 run homer. Tie game. Just like that.

Lawrence O’Donnell, our Bernie Carbo pinch hitter. Great job Lawrence. You came through in the clutch, big time.

Congratulations to the New York Yankees and their fans. The Yanks were without a doubt the best team in 2009. It was an exciting World Series with a great match up between New York and Philadelphia.
_________________
“People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” Rogers Hornsby

The End.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:22 AM)

See a lot Democrats running around yesterday, including Nancy "We Won!" Pelosi (What happened Nancy, you a Republican now?) telling us how the Tuesday elections loses by the Dems "Didn't mean anything". Whistling past the graveyard the Democrats are doing, a graveyard that will be filled with Blue Dog Democrats, and Harry Reid, a year from today.

The Grave Digger (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:23 AM)

It does seem that the demographics argument the Left Wing Loons have been touting this year has hit a snag - the voters.

Pam Nelson, St. Paul MN (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:24 AM)

"super bowl of freedon"??
OK, Michelle, if you think sending idots to the capitol to protest AGAINST what a majority of the populace (Remeber the phrase 'we the people'??) is somehow promoting freedom, I have to ask:
Freedom for whom?? The big money interests??
People that hate the president, because he's not who they voted for last fall?? People that just like to be seen and heard?
Who, exactly, is gaining 'freedom' out of this stupid stunt at the expense of freedom for all the others?

Buzz (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:25 AM)

Let the GOP have their day in the sun on their so called victory. People will soon realize that they won't do a better job on the issues than the Dems. Everything takes time to implement and everyone wants instant results and they will see that soon enough. Everyone promises things that are impossible to do quickly.

JoAnn, Moundsville, WV (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:26 AM)

If the folks run on Obama's record, THEY WILL LOSE!!

Whatever he has touched has turned into a mess! TARP (how much will the taxpayers get back?), Stimulus (are you stimulated …yet?), Auto Bailouts--they went bankrupt, Cash for Clunkers--dealers still need repayment, NO Jobs, H1N1 Vaccine shortage, Afghanistan indecision, Professor Gates, Health Bill with government control, More NO Jobs, The Olympic Bid fiasco, Iran, North Korea, MORE NO Jobs, Europe's latest impression of the US -- especially Sarkozy, GITMO goat ropin', and More NO Jobs.

Obama’s instincts are simply troubling – as an example, we have a shortfall of H1N1 vaccine, but Team Obama was going to provide limited vaccine to the prisoners at GITMO. This folks, is a troubling when it comes to HIS PRIORITIES!

Given his PROMISE of transparency, would he please share with the US the algorithms he uses in determining "OBAMA JOBS SAVED"??

He does not have the common decency to accept responsibility for his sophomoric actions -- throwing one contender under the bus two weeks before the election -- (Deeds -- Virginia). IT IS ALL ABOUT OBAMA. SAD!!

Would you tie your wagon to this lame retarded donkey???

Curtis Jansen, NC (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:26 AM)

Tuesday's statehouse defeats have left Blue Dogs acutely aware that their votes on health care reform and other major Obama initiatives could be career-enders in 2010 or beyond" The black messiah wants to sign something, anything, regardless of the cost. $900 billion was his max and now Queen Pelosi has a $1.3 trillion offering (and counting). Good luck to the suckers who walk the plank and I hope their pork bribes are sufficient, as their careers will be finished.

UnMutual (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:27 AM)

Obama needs new political advisers ... and fast!

Axelrod and whomever else is an anchor on Obama --- advising him to make all the wrong domestic & foreign policy moves!

UNLESS OBAMA GETS SOME NEW & COMPETENT POLITCAL ADVISERS, VERY SOON, ... HIS PRESIDENCY WILL BE LOST.

DC AIN'T CHICAGO ...

OBAMA'S POLITCAL ADVISERS ARE USELESS ... (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:28 AM)

Lets put the correct perspective on the election results, The two govenors the right picked up will have no say whatsoever on the national stage, their actions will only play out in their respective states. The winners of the congressional races is what matters to the rest of us, and here are the results.

Dems won 5 congressional races,
CA-32
NY-20
NY-23
IL-5
CA-10
IIRC

These winners will vote in Congress. McDonnell and Christie, will not. By the way Mcdonnell where are the jobs you promised, you've been in office for a day now, where are the jobs. (sound familiar)

justthinkinoutloud (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:29 AM)

Tuesday's election should be a wakeup call to blue-dog democrats. Democrats are always trying to paint the GOP as the party that refuses to be a big tent and move to the center, but they fail to look in a mirror and see that the radical left-wing agenda they are pushing is making them the party of exclusion. It is amazing to watch the radical left-wing leaders of the democratic party eat their own. It's insane to watch a democrat raise concerns about the legislation being proposed by their leaders, and instead of addressing the concerns the leadership attacks the blue-dog who dared question their leaders. How is it that the democrats get away with condemning the GOP for not moving to the center, but the dems never get questioned about their failure to slow down their rapid move to the left?

After watching the way the leadership in the House and Senate attack members of their own party it is clear to see that they will have no respect for the general public they represent. Why would anyone believe that Nancy "the torturer" Pelosi and her crew are looking out for their best interest when they treat their own members with such contempt. The blue-dogs now need to consider their careers in politics. Toe the radical party line and vote against your convictions and you may be out of a job come election time.

Terminator Tim, California (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:29 AM)

Pelosi and Reid are using Enron-style accounting to balance their Health Care Destruction plans. What are they? The biggest one is that benefits aren't paid out until 2013, while taxes for paying for the benefits start right after Obama would sign the bill. 7 years of benefits with 10 years of taxes. Ex-Enron CEO Kenny Lay would be proud of Pelosi and Reid.

Robert Graham, St. Louis (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:31 AM)

FR: "House Democratic leaders struggled Wednesday to strike a deal that would restrict the use of federal money to pay for abortions under sweeping health care legislation headed for debate on the House floor this week,” the New York Times notes. "

Whoa-whoa-whoa! What do you mean "Restrict federal money for abortions"? Didn't Nancy and Harry assure us months ago abortions would not be a part of any HCR bill? Illegal's were not to be covered either? Now they are "restricting" funds to abortions?

Sounds like Nancy and Harry told us all one big fat lie! Why is this not surprising?

Carol K (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:32 AM)

HAPPY TEABAGGERS DAYS LOSERS!
How many people are you expecting? 50 like those who showed up at Doug Hoffman's concession speech? Or will you be off by 1.4 million like acerbic self -loathing big mouth Michelle Malkin put up on her web site.
haahaaaaaaa
Oh, I forgot Dick Amery's Freedom Works is paying for the free bus ride; there may be a few more coming along just because it's free and losers have no idea how to get to Washington D.C.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:32 AM)

HEY, everybody! LOOK at ME

Michelle Bachman, MN (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:34 AM)

*** Does Kirk really want Palin by his side in Illinois? By the way, Kirk’s move is fascinating.
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Mark Kirk would sell his mother if he thought it would win him votes!

The clown is going down in 2010!

I've got my running shoes ready and will be out there doing eveything I can to make sure Mr. Kirk (who btw was the one who told the Chinese NOT to trust us) has a seat alright... in his BASEMENT bar-co-lounger!

These right wing whack jobs who think they're gonna all of a sudden 'hug' the middle to get elected are SADLY mistaken! WE will be out front & center reminding voters of their past ANTICS!

THAT you can COUNT ON!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:37 AM)

How interesting the Wall Street received the H1N1 vaccine while clinics and hospitals are left with lines of qualified receipients to be turned away. So the corporations filled out the correct paperwork, so they have qualified receipients, too. Why didn't all the vaccine go to either hospitals or clinics? The qualified at Wall Street and other corporations can wait in line just like the rest of the qualified receipients.

I still think that if WalMart and Cosco can sell caskets, and have optomitrists and dentists on their premises, they should set up clinics and sell THEIR brand of low cost healthcare insurance to those who choose to use their facilities. There you go, a real public option with competition for the big boy insurance companies. WalMart Health Coverage. WalMart did it with the pharmacies all over the country. It would be a win/win, and everyone would be happy. No government involvment, and real competition. They could do like the government has for the last twenty years or so and import the money for the insurance from China (they import almost everything else for a lower price). They are already set up with facilities throughout the country. Just move the hydrolic hoists and automotive repair shops over a little. Talk about one-stop-shopping!!!

A Voice from Michigan (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:37 AM)

Jobs? Maybe someday?
Afghanistan? Maybe before Christmas?
Deficit?
HCR? Maybe AFTER New Year's
Unemployment Probably 10% tomorrow and who knows for how long
Cap & Trade-dead?

There will come a point when the electorate will expect something to get done...

Bing Censored? (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:39 AM)

They celebrated the one year anniversary of the coronation of Caliph Osama Bin Biden and all we have to show for it is higher unemployment, more foreclosures, the highest number of bank failures since 1992, triple the number of 2008 private businesses filing bankruptcy, GMAC asking for BILLIONS more, rising death tolls in Mideast wars, Gitmo still open and gasoline at $3/gal.

Where are the jobs Barack? (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:39 AM)

Last night chris Mathews made micheal steele look like a fool, steele was beating his chest about the governers races but did not want to address the house seat the republican lost.
what a uncle tom, he is doing and saying what the republican are telling him.
what a nut job. it was must watch TV last night.

Jeff Evanston IL. (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:40 AM)

Obama needs new political advisers ... and fast!
OBAMA'S POLITCAL ADVISERS ARE USELESS ... (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:28 AM)
----------------------------------------------------

HEY, the Obama Stimulus and Job Creation numbers are as convincing as this combover!

David “Amerigo Bonasera” Axelrod - White House Chief of Combovers (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:41 AM)

Everybody (Dems, Repubs, Pundits, Indies) is too focused on 2010 for Goodness sake! Politically, that is a lifetime away. We have problems now that need to be addressed and this President is trying to resolve them. From Gitmo to HCR, the Repubs have been behaving as American Taliban by terrorizing the public at large. They offer no solutions, just complaints, terror, and fear. They make a bunch of noise but say a whole lot of nothing.

The madness has to stop and Congress must find a way to work together to improve the nation. The alternative is gridlock and we, the people, get the short end of the stick.

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:41 AM)

Mad Hatter Bachmann and the crazy loon tea baggers leading the parade in D.C. Fellini would have had a field day filming them holding up their tea bags, zip locked bags w/ their U.S. passports, Obama as Adolf Hitler and right wing geriatrics yelling for Obama to take his hands off their Medicare. They are such hoots. Let the wackadoo games begin w/ a supporting cast of Delusional Beck, Eric Nerdy Cantor, Druggy Limbaugh, Wascilla Barbie and Agent Orange Bonehead. Thats all they are good at getting certain ignorant masses to foam at the mouth like Pavlov's dogs. These so called not ready for prime time opportunists could not manage themselves out of a paper bag let alone manage the country if their lives depended on it.

Juan, Ft Lauderdale, Fl (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:41 AM)

*** Nationalizing 2010: In Axelrod’s interview with one of us, he talked about the Democrats’ turnout problem on Tuesday, and he claimed that if they nationalize 2010, they won't have that problem. Translation: The White House is going to take a page from the 2002 White House playbook, which is to nationalize the midterms and try and do it on your terms.

=============

What are the Democrats going to do, run on their record??? What record would that be, their 10%+ unemployment rate, their feeble GDP growth, their 5 million (by that time) jobs lost, their failure in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran, their failed Stimulus bill, their failed HCR bill? Is that the nationalized record of "achievement" the Democrats are going to run on?

Go ahead, run on that record of your Democrats. See where that gets you.

Bill2008 (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:42 AM)

I didn't know that nasty, vile, vulgar qualified as "smart liberal women".
lily (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 5:42 PM)
*******************************************************
Yes there are; Lily. There are the 2 dizzy Michelle's (Bachmann and Malkin )"Going Rogue" Tea , Bagger, Sarah Palin, and don't forget manly looking Anne Coulter. In Case you have noticed Anne Coulter has an Adam’s apple.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:42 AM)

FRed: One could make an argument that the House Democrats DID have a good Tuesday night.

One could make that argument only if they were interviewing for a job at msnbc. The rest of the world is not that insane though.

KLammers (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:42 AM)

"""Obama's Half Brother Recalls Their Abusive Father
By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer – Nov 4, 2009
President Barack Obama's half brother has broken his media silence to discuss his new novel — the semi-autobiographical story of an abusive parent patterned on their late father, the mostly absent figure Obama wrote about in his own memoir. In his first interview, Mark Ndesandjo told The Associated Press that he wrote "Nairobi to Shenzhen" in part to raise awareness of domestic violence. "My father beat my mother and my father beat me, and you don't do that," said Ndesandjo, whose mother, Ruth Nidesand, was Barack Obama Sr.'s third wife. "It's something which I think affected me for a long time, and it's something that I've just recently come to terms with."
President Obama's parents separated two years after he was born in Hawaii in 1961. The senior Obama, a Kenyan exchange student, divorced the president's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, in 1964 and had at least six other children in his native Kenya."""

Is this the sequel to “Audacity of Hope” ?

Spitzer Patterson Institute for Family Values- Tammany Hall, NY (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:45 AM)

Spin yesterday was about how Tuesday's election was a problem for President Obama's agenda. While I congratulate the GOP on their wins, only 2 races would have a direct impact on the President's agenda.

The 2 are congressional races in CA and NY, the winners of both races are the only ones from last Tuesday that would be able to vote in Congress. Democrats won both.

New Wave (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:46 AM)

Obama’s instincts are simply troubling – as an example, we have a shortfall of H1N1 vaccine, but Team Obama was going to provide limited vaccine to the prisoners at GITMO. This folks, is a troubling when it comes to HIS PRIORITIES!

Curtis Jansen, NC (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:26 AM)
_______________

OKAY… I’m calling BS on this! Either quote the source or post a link to confirm this is the case or STFU!

You can come here and name call & rant all you want about our President (we’re used to it)… but YOU can’t come here and spread you right wing LIES based on something you either picked up on Faux & Freaks – the Drugster – some chain e-mail –or something a your sisters boyfriends mother’s second cousin to YOU!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:48 AM)

Justthinkingoutloud: -- Lets put the correct perspective on the election results, The two govenors the right picked up will have no say whatsoever on the national stage, their actions will only play out in their respective states. The winners of the congressional races is what matters to the rest of us, and here are the results.

Dems won 5 congressional races,
CA-32
NY-20
NY-23
IL-5
CA-10
IIRC

These winners will vote in Congress. McDonnell and Christie, will not. By the way Mcdonnell where are the jobs you promised, you've been in office for a day now, where are the jobs. (sound familiar)
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I know this is the popular spin from the left, but its incredibly wrong. If you think the governorships of Virginia and NJ don't matter, why do you think Obama spent so much time and energy there. These races indicate that conservatives are energized while Democrats are not. This is why Axelrod and the administration are meeting right now to "own" these results. Because if they blow this off as you did as meaningless nationally, they could very well lose many congressional seats and Senators in next year's midterms.

The bottom line is that the Democrats lost in states that went for Obama in the election. You're fooling yourself if you think this doesn't matter.

DG, Houston, TX (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:49 AM)

*** Tea’d off: Two days after their victories in New Jersey and Virginia (where their candidates played down their conservatism and didn’t run directly against President Obama).

+++++++++++++++++

Didn't run against Obama? Didn't think Obama was on the ballot. And they played down their conservatism? Listen FR, liberals are the ones that play up their ideology. They keep telling us how much they "care". They care so much, they're willing to spend other people's money to show how much they "care".

McDonnell and Christie ran on something that liberals don't understand, their records. They had a record of achievements a mile long that showed what they can do, not how much they "cared". And they didn't need to tear down Obama like the Democrats tear into Bush, even though there was plenty of Obama to tear down. That's why they won.

Calvin Grant, VA (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:49 AM)

Bing Censored? (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:49 AM)

TEA PARTIES of AMERICA

The big one is in Washington today, although the word is that Pelosi will use her dimwit elected power to restrict the protesters from the immediate area so it looks less impresive.

The White House has lied about the number of protesters in various cities in the past. Needless to say, they are not in the dark over the Tea Party success and the fact that one major movement is crossing the country on a 38 city tour at this very moment.

While the Obie administration continues to trash the Constitution, other are hard at work to keep it the focus of Obie's wrong doing. We are just invigorated by the recent Republican success in the elections and the seemingly good signs that the conservative movement will take over the dunderheads that are running the Senate and Congress in 2010.

Pelosi has already underminded the Constitution by putting people in place to up-end taxpayer's rights. This was an insideeous move that was included in the Stimulus WITHOUT anyone's lnowledge. Remember that the Dems themselves refused to read it yet voted FOR it. Also, the 72 hour period to read it was a joke put out by Pelosi, the Botox Queen of Mean. She is corrupt but we all know that.

Full Moon
Palomino
Tombstone Shadow ... and the rest.

The Chihuahua Gang (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:49 AM)

Bing Censored? (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:50 AM)

The only reason Mark Kirk is trying to get Palin's endorsement is because the radical conservative wing is all over him for being too "liberal". This is not going to play well in Illinois. She was not popular here (neither was McCain) and this strategy is going to backfire in the end.

Dave, IL (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:50 AM)

while Humana spends MILLIONS to stop health care reform they have raised my medicare plus premiums for next year from $28 a month to $123 a month and cut my benefits. just one example of why we need reform.

Lynette (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:50 AM)

'...Nationalizing 2010: In Axelrod’s interview with one of us, he talked about the Democrats’ turnout problem on Tuesday, and he claimed that if they nationalize 2010, they won't have that problem...'

FORGET ABOUT 2010 !!!

Get Obama to PUSH HCR !!
GET OBAMA TO PUSH THE Public Option !!
Pas that and all will follow

Forget the
DC games
GET HCR !!

President is MISSING IN ACTION on HCR
Don't expect Nancy Pelosi to do EVERYTHING

I thought Obama was a LEADER ??

Talk to the Blue Dogs, Mr President

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:52 AM)

Memo to liberal Dems: The jig is up. It isn't "Change You Can Believe In." It's "A Con You Will Regret."

Alex Perez, Texas (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:22 AM)
*************************************************
Alex
The jig is up? I think you meant to say "Going Rogue" Sarah Palin since quit her job.

It's time to go make the donuts.
***************************************************
Feisty
How can we convince Mark Kirk to take on Palin's endorsement?

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:53 AM)

Good Morning all!

Doesn't it feel GOOD to have a President who goes to WORK everyday on our country's problems?

I'm loving it! :)

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:53 AM)

It is a pleasure to have the Administration owning something good or bad. The last one only wanted to own what they percieved as good and the bad was someone else's to deal with.

eagle1776 (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:54 AM)

HAPPY TEABAGGERS DAYS LOSERS!
Beverly in Chicago (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:32 AM)
----------------------------------------------
Happy parking meter fees, Happy Skyway fees, Happy higher Crook County property taxes, Happy higher CTA fares while the CTA lays off workers, Happy higher city fees as Daley sends NON-Union workers on unpaid vacations to save money, Happy walking around the neighborhood in safety after Democrat Governor Quinn releases 1,000 "non-violent" prison inmates early to save the state money.

Happy 80 years of one party rule by the Democrats in Chicago. Pay up or shut up.

If you have any money left over- you can buy an admission to the University of Illinois or maybe even buy a US Senate seat like Blago tried to sell! Or maybe you will just have enough to bribe an Operation Greylord Crook County judge.

Big Al in Chicago- Vote early and vote often! (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:54 AM)

The number one lesson from New York 23 is that there should be primaries to select candidates, not smoke filled rooms. I think that lesson has been learned.

The problem for Democrats in 'nationalizing' the 2010 midterms is simply that the top of the ticket is not the draw it was last year.

Obama campaigned as a centrist-and has shown his true nature as a far-left liberal.

He followed the CW in Virginia, and only campaigned there marginally. He staked his claim on New Jersey, the bluest of blue states-and lost.

Yes, the exit polls showed that a majority of voters said that Obama was not a factor in their vote. That does not tell the story, however. What was important were taxes, unemployment, and the direction the state was taking.

Corzine spoke often about the 'partnership' between he and Obama. In fact, the White House was very involved in this race, including shaping the strategy. corzine followed what should have been a winning method--after all, it worked last year--but failed simply because voters DISAGREE WITH THE POLICIES.

Take a look at Gallup's polling-majorities have now recogonized the Obama is a liberal. (Thanks, media. You did a great job of hiding that fact last year.) In CNN's recent poll, Obama is either tied or upside down on the major issues, including health care policy.

This is not a winning strategy for Dems next year. On the other hand, how in the world can a Dem run away from the president of his own party? Particularly one who never admits that he, personally, is wrong about anything, or that the country is not behind his policies?

Axelrod is stating the obvious when he says that the midterms will be national. His best hopes lie in regionalizing them. I don't think it can happen.

no joe, no bo, nj (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:56 AM)

*** Tea’d off: Two days after their victories in New Jersey and Virginia (where their candidates played down their conservatism and didn’t run directly against President Obama)------- "How do you tap into a fired-up conservative base (which obviously benefited them in NJ and VA" ***************** FR you can't have it both ways! The victories in VA & NJ you say happened when both "played down their conservatism" but at the same time you have a "fired up conservative base that benefited them? OK

Try the truth (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:56 AM)

GOING ROGUE

Sarah Palin is the best thing to happen to this country, conservative-wise.

If you're a Republican who leans Democratic then get your lying a$$ out of the race. You won't be endorsed by the Alaskan bombshell (you can take that two diff ways) and you'll be insignificant in anything you do from that day on.

Full Moon will be meeting her again in late November. A pleasant time is guaranteed for all.

Palomino
Moon Dawg
Polythen Pam ... and the rest.

The Chihuahua Gang (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:59 AM)

No problem the Democrata are still in power,the question is what Mr. Steele think he is doing making something out of nothing he really is the angry black guy he is not doing all this for the Republicans no he is jealous of President Obama and by no way should he think he is the example of a Black man yes new people werr elected andthats always good.These up and coming races need to be looked at like challenges not mockery is he promoting rebellion or does know that no matter who is in charge that we still need to get things done not always this no attitude.The Virginia Governor is going to raise taxes just as fast so people had that wrong the only way to get money is to spend it or take it but we wish him well yet how long will still keep making himself look silly if he really is all that why hasn't his family come out and support him or are they ashamed of him too the only thing he is good at is spinning and pushing lies and fear with the look of a dis- oriented individual defeat is taken now get out of the way and let the real leaders of this Nation who run all three Houses get the job done just that everytime people see him or hear him we still feel like that mule is not far behind he may be smart for some but he definetly can stop the brother talk.

Ivoted (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 10:00 AM)

"minimize losses in 2010, then it has to get as many of their 2008 voters to the polls."

as daily kos markos correctly pointed out, the republican turnout was no larger than 2008, but the democratic base did turn out. the lesson of tuesday's elections show progressives are not concerned president obama and the congress are doing too much; rather they are doing too little.

the citizens overwhelmingly voted in 2008 for change; not watering down, not threading the needle, not doing only what is politically safe, not bi-partisanship over real change and definitely not rahm's idea of change. he wasn't on the ballot when we voted for obama/biden.

in exit polling from both new jersey and virginia showed, voters number one concern was jobs and the economy. the economic recovery bill reduced monies for job creation in favor of tax cuts to appease and appeal to the republicans.

the good ol' owellian gop, regardless of the fact 95% of the country received a tax cut, can convince the voters the democrats only favor tax increases. the last eight years have shown for anyone honestly wanting to analyze, tax cuts do not create jobs for the middle class!

sbvpav, creswell, oregon (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 10:00 AM)

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